Happy Valley climber airlifted after fall on Mount Hood
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A Happy Valley mountain climber was airlifted to an area hospital after falling several hundred feet on Mount Hood early Saturday, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said.
The 43-year-old climber, whose name has not yet been released, apparently lost his ice axe near the Old Chute area and fell between 600-700 feet around 6:30 a.m., officials said. He fell from the summit ridge to the rocks above the Hot Rocks fumarole.
A combat comptroller happened to be at the area when the climber fell and began administering emergency medical attention to the seriously injured man.
Others on the mountain reported the fall and a search-and-rescue was launched. By 10:30 a.m., rescue crews reached the climber and took over the medical attention. Two medics arrived by Oregon Army National Guard helicopter around 1 p.m.
The climber was hoisted into the helicopter on a litter and flown to a Portland-area hospital, authorities said.
It's the second accident in about a week at the same area on Mount Hood. A 31-year-old Portland woman was critically hurt in a fall on June 24.